Country Club Christianity: Understanding How Denominations Work
June 15, 2025
During service one Sunday, the word was being read and in traditional fashion we stood up during the reading, its something that I feel like should be done, but then I thought about how its not always done.
That’s when the metaphor dropped in my spirit:
The church is the country club. Christianity is the golf.
Let me explain.
Every country club got its own rules. Its own vibe. Its own dress code, clubhouse politics, little rituals and customs. But when you step out on that course — the game don’t change. Whether you swinging in Scottsdale or Detroit, the rules of golf stay the same. Par is par. The stroke count is the stroke count. It’s still about the green.
That’s how it is with churches and faith. You might go to a COGIC church, a Baptist one, non-denominational, whatever — each has its own style. Some shout, some don’t. Some wear robes, others rock jeans. One might do communion every first Sunday, another only once a quarter. That’s the country club.
But underneath all that?
We still playing golf.
We still believe Jesus is Lord.
We still believe no one gets to the Father but by Him.
We still believe He died for our sins and rose on the third day.
That’s the game. That’s the gospel.
That don’t change, no matter the clubhouse.
But here’s the catch — a lot of us start confusing clubhouse tradition for divine command. We start treating customs like they’re canon. And the moment someone walks in not following our little house rules — we look at them sideways. We judge. We gatekeep.
You ever seen somebody kicked out the club for wearing the wrong shoes, even though they came ready to play? That’s how it feels when someone new walks in a church not knowing when to stand, what to say, or how loud to shout. And instead of grace, they get glare.
That’s not Jesus.
Jesus wasn’t in a clubhouse. Jesus was in the streets, on hillsides, in homes. He didn’t come to play politics. He came to teach us the real game. And now we got folks arguing over which clubhouse is holier while they ain’t picked up a club — or read His Word — in months.
Let me be clear: I’m not knocking tradition. Some of it is beautiful. Reverent. It creates rhythm, order, and unity. But tradition should point to God, not replace Him.
Golf is still golf.
Christ is still Christ.
Don’t get lost in the clubhouse.
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Jaevonn Harris is an artist, attorney, and the founder of WELÇOME©️. Follow him on X @onlyonejaevonn and visit gettothecorner.com for more music, art, and essays like this.